Aisha, Islamic Bioethics, and Hajj

This flashcard set covers the contributions of Aisha, Islamic bioethical perspectives on euthanasia and abortion, and the specific rituals of the Hajj pilgrimage.

Aisha

A significant person in Islam known for her extremely good memory, transmitting over $2000$ hadiths, and acting as a model for Muslim life through actions like performing Hajj every year.

Hadiths

Recounted and recorded actions and sayings of the Prophet Muhammad that provide adherents with valuable insight into proper behaviors and ways of living.

Affair of the slander

An incident involving Aisha being accused of cheating, which resulted in a revelation from Allah proving her innocence and establishing the Sharia law requirement for $4$ witnesses in adultery cases.

Zakat

Almsgiving involving the donation of $2.5\%$ of expendable wealth; Aisha demonstrated this by giving away gifted wealth, such as $1000$ dirhams, to the poor while she was fasting.

Taqwa

The aim of Muslims to attain God-consciousness, a concept mentioned $25$ times in the Quran.

Sharia law

A path to submit and a way of life intended to protect religion and lineage, with decisions derived from the Quran, hadith, ijma, and qiyas.

Fatwas

Non-legally binding opinions given by scholar institutions, such as the European Council for Fatwa Research, that can apply to a community or general issue.

Active Euthanasia

Mercy killing using lethal drugs to alleviate suffering, which is classified as assisted dying and is NOT ALLOWED in Islam.

Passive Euthanasia

The practice of withholding treatment to allow death, which is considered SOMETIMES RARE in Islamic bioethics.

Brain dead

A condition in which the trial of life is considered to have already ended, making it acceptable to cease life-sustaining treatment.

Ensoulment

A process occurring after $120$ days of pregnancy; after this point, abortion is considered murder unless the mother's life is at risk.

Maliki

A very strict school of Islamic thought that does not allow abortion at all.

Hanari

A school of Islamic thought (spelled 'Hanari' in notes) described as more lenient, as it may allow abortion up to $120$ days.

Rizkah

A term describing children as a gift from God.

Hajj

The annual pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca (Makkah) required for all able adult males; Hajj $2026$ is expected to take place from May $25$ to May $30$, $2026$.

Tawaf

The ritual of circumambulating the Kaaba seven times counterclockwise to express the belief that Allah has no partner.

Sa’i

The ritual of walking briskly or running between two pillars at the Grand Mosque, reflecting Hagar's trust in God while searching for water from the Zamzam well.

Waquf

The day of prayer on Mount Arafat where pilgrims meditate and seek redemption for sins, reflecting on Muhammad's Final Sermon and the hope of attaining Jannah.

Jamarat

The ritual of throwing stones at pillars that symbolize the devil to represent resisting temptation.